Supporting device.



No. 886,241. PATENTED APR. 28, 1908.

B. NORTON.

SUPPORTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 31. 1907.

4 2 i a I a E vwemtoz Znos 12621012.

UNITED STATES ENOS NORTON, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN surroarme DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 81,

Patented April 28, 1908. 1907. Serial No. 886,458.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ENOS NORTON, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Supporting Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to supporting devices adapted es ecially to be'used in connection wlth clot es lines for the purpose of maintaining such lines taut in extended con dition, and it has for its object to provide a device of this class which shall possess superior advantages in points of simplicity, durability and general efficiency, and which will admit of a clothes line being very easily and quickly stretched or detached from the supporting means, as occasion may require. With these and other ends in v1ew which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same con sists in the improyed'construction and novel arrangement and combination of parts which will be hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing has been illustrated a simple and preferred form of the invention; it being, however, understood, that no limitation is necessarily made to the recise structural details therein exhibited, but that changes, alterations and modifications within the scope of the claims may be resorted to when desired.

In the drawing: Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the improved line supporting device in position for operation. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 2-2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 33, in Fig. 2.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are denoted by like characters of reference.

The improved supporting device consists rimarily of a broad, flat hook A which may be constructed of galvanized iron or other material suitably protected against rust and corrosion; said hook including the shank 1' and the lip portion 2, which latter is referably bent in an outward direction so t at its free end will be spaced further from the shank than the lower or connected end, as will'be clearly seen by reference to Fig. 2 of the drawings the purpose being to ermit a line, 3, to be readily introduced etween the shank and the free end of the lip portion 2.

The front side of the shank, whereby is meant that face of the shank which lies roxirib 4, which extends forwardly in the direction of the lip portion 2, and which corre- LSPOIldS with a similar rib 5 which is formed centrally and vertically upon the lip portion, extending rearwardly in the directlon of the shank 1. The apices of the ribs 4 and 5 are disposed closely together, and, owing to the tilted position of the lip portion 2, the said in the lower or inner extremity of the hook. The li portion 2 of the hook is provided at the side edges thereof with auxiliary ribs 6, 6, which extends rearwardly in the direction of the shank portion, said ribs being preferably rounded so as to present no abrasive formed by making ridges or indentationsin the material ofwhich the supporting device is formed and the corners of the hook, where merged together, are provided withrounded lips -7 which will engage the line without wearing or abrading the latter. The shank end with an eye 8, adapted to be place engagement with a sup orting hook 9.

It will be observedt at the rib 4 upon the sidera y above the upper ed e of the lip portion 2, and that while the riis 6 at the side edges of said lip portion are extendedto the extreme upper edge of said lip portion, the central rib 5 of the latter termlnates at a dis tance from the upper edge, said rib being also tapered in an upward direction, so as to permit of the readyintroduction of the line-3 which is to be placed in engagement with the sup ortin device. When the line .3 is intro uced into the hook, the conjoint action of the ribs 4 and 6 will cause the said line to assume a wavy position which will materially assist in preventing its displacement from the ribs 4 and 5 between which it will be clamped and held with great security. When a number of the supporting devices are mounted, at suitable distances apart, a clothes line may be readily stretched from one, to another of said devices where it may be made fast withsufiicient security by simply entering it into and lacin it in engagement with the several books. I t follows that a clothes ribs practically converge or merge togethersurfaces. The several'ribs are preferably of the hook is provided adjacent to its upper shankbportion of'the hook' is extended conmate to the lip portion 2, is provide with I an approximately central vertically disposed 4 the shank portion and the lip portion are' I line, thus supported, may be readily adjusted I or taken down, as occasion may demand, and

corresponding rib extendin it may be kept much cleaner and in better condition than if left constantly stretched and exposed to'the weather.

I claim:

1. A supporting device of the class described, consisting of a broad flat hook, the shank portion of which is provided with a central vertical rib extending toward the lip portion and the lip portion of which has a corresponding rib extending toward the shank portion, beveled upwardly, and terminating at a distance from the terminal edge of said lip portion.

2. A supporting device of the class de scribed, consisting of a broad flat hook, the shank'portio'n of which is provided with a central vertical rib extending toward the lip portion and therlip portion of which has a toward the shank portion; said lip portion being provided with auxiliary ribs adjacent to the side 25 central vertical rib extending toward and above or beyond the lip portion and the lip portion of which is provided with a corresponding vertical rib extending toward the s rank portion and terminating at a distance from the terminal edge of the lip portion,

said li portion being provided with auxiliary ribs a jacent to 'its side edges and extending to the free terminal'edge of the lip; said cen- \tral ribs converging and merging together at the inner eflflbr the hook.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ENOS NORTON. Witnesses:

E. J. HENNING, FRED C. JETTER. 

